The new campus of Development Management Institute is located in Bihta, Bihar on a site area of 15 acres. Keeping in view the international character of the institute, the proposed campus attempts to provide for state of the art facilities and aesthetics compatible with DMI’s mission, vision and theme. The design draws on the ideologies of DMI and mimics their logo; starting from the geometric approach signifying rigor and discipline to the color tonality of the facade.
The entire architectural scheme comprises of two Academic Blocks, a Student Hostel, two buildings for Faculty Housing, a 600 seater Auditorium, Recreational and Dining Blocks, Sports facilities and stilt for parking & service areas.
The complex is proposed to be part building and part green space. This constructed landscape is moulded like a street and topped with plantations that fill campus with unexpected yet welcome parks. The four L-shaped buildings sandwich a long multi-purpose plazas, which can be used for lectures, events, recreation space and leisure. This form also gives all buildings a narrow footprint that encourages the infiltration of natural daylight.
The buildings are a platform for debate, exchange and dissemination and hence multiple interactive zones are provided throughout the campus. The design is based on the belief that a lively and successful college building should have generous and engaging internal spaces which are not just seminar rooms or offices, but places to ‘hang out’ and possibly encourage you to stay around after class. These are carved out of the interior in the form of balconies for students who need a break, and slither around the exterior in a similar way.
The podium/ stilt houses all the landscape elements and facilities like Open Air theatre and Auditorium. The six Main building blocks namely Academic + CARE block, Academic + CEP Block, Faculty Housing, Student Hostel, Dean and Director Housing and Auditorium are accessed from the Podium Level as well as Stilt Level. The recreational and dining blocks namely Student Lounge Block, CEP Amenities Block, Common Amenities Block and Student Common Block are accessed at the Ground Level.
Sports amenities like Basketball Court, Tennis Court, Volleyball Court, Mini Football Field and Cricket Nets have been provided on western part of the site. Agro-ecological farming area of 4100 sqm. has been provided for the CARE students with close adjacency to the Open Air Theatre.
Surface parking for cars and buses has been kept at the minimum for least site disturbance. Most of the parking and services have been accommodated in the stilt level. The podium is accessible by ramps and staircases as well as lifts from the Stilt level.
Special attention has been devoted to flora and fauna, environmental sustainability, provision for development of an agro-ecological farm, and provision for future expansion of the activities and programmes of the Institute. Materials like granite, red sandstone, GRC and clay facade ascribe a natural character to the building.
The campus aims to achieve minimum GRIHA 3 Star rating. Maximum blocks are oriented N-S and optimally spaced with respect to each other. Mutual shading has been achieved by inverted stepping in Academic bocks and proximity of buildings. The courtyards and plazas are shaded with a space frame structure to reduce the urban heat island effect and create a cool microclimate in the break-out spaces. Accessible green terraces have been incorporated in all buildings to create an indoor-outdoor connection.